Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1887-05-03
WANTED TO DIE.
DIETRICH, SHOOTS HIMSELF IN
THE HEAD,
While in a Dsranged COndi6On-The Wound NO
Dangerous but BE Insists Upon LeaV-
ing The World.
Another unfortunate attempted to leave


this weary world yesterday and voyage
into the uniathomable beyond with the
assistance of a revolver, backed up by
drink. As nearly as can be learned, the
circumstances are as follows:
Herman Dietrich resided with his wife
and family, composed of three sons and two
handsome grown up daughters, at 271O
EOff street, and has been employed some
time at the Crescent mill as nightwateh-
man. Dietrich, who is about fifty years
Of age, has always borne the reputation of
peaceful, hard working citizen, and ap-
parently lived prosperously and happy.
Yesterday morning, it seems that some
thing occurred to rufie his temper, and
while his wife was up street he took his
pay, received last Saturday, and started
down street. From what can be learned
he began drinking pretty heavily and kept
it up until about IL o'clock, when he was
very perceptibly under the influence of
liquor. 1t is alleged he was in a saloon
Just below Thirty-third street, on Jacob,
and ut about 1l:3O O'Clock he went out the
back way into the alley facing q stable in
the rear of Sheriff Handlan's residence.
He seemed TO be wild and boisterous and
hurled . cane ut a wagon which was pass
ing.
This was the last noticed of him until
three shots rang out and the people in the
vicinity rushed to the spot, and found
DIETRICH lying in the alley with blood
pouring from q bullet hole in his head. II
is said that he placed the revolver against
his head when the first shot was fired;
then he fired again before he fell. After
he had fallen the third shot was fired, but
it appears that neither of the last two took
any effect. A gentleman named Shaffer,
who rushed to the spot, ran up to DIETRICH
and was compelled TO use force to wrest the
weapon from his hands. 1t was a five-shOt
SS2-calibre revolver, and three of the cham
bers were empty.
The wounded man was carried into the
stable and made as comfortable rs posi-
BILE DR.. J. b. Reed was called and he AZ
rived in q few moments. He made an eX
animation of the wound, but DIETRICH was
so stubborn and unruly that it was almost
impossible to tell much about it. He said
he wanted to die and would make away
with himself on the first opportunity. He
certainly was not seriously hurt, and to
his eldest SOD, who had been notified, he
said that he would not 90 home, and talk
cd in a very wild manner. They got
him into DIR. Reeds buggy and
went mp EOff street until they
came to Deitrich's, home, but he swOre he
would never enter the house again, al
though his son, his wife and daughters i'm
plOred him to do so. The scene was GER
tainly p sad one rs the mans family
begged him to go into the house, between
their sobs. But it was all to no avail. lie
said he wanted TO be taken to the lookup
and refused to 90 anywhere else.
As he was determined upon this, the
doctor drove him up and he WAS placed in
cell at the lookup, but would not allow
the doctor to touch the wound. He re-
manned there some time, but fearing that
he might attempt to further harm himself
he was taken out during the afternoon and
sent to Jail, where he was placed in one
OF the wards mp stairs. lie walked
all the way to the Jail and did not appear
to he suffering much pain from the wound.
Here the doctor made an attempt to probe
for the ball and succeeded in locating it.
The bali entered Just behind the right
ear and passed Just below the mastOid pro-
cess, or heavy bone back Of the ear. The
hole is not more than quarter of an inch
deep and has evidently done no serious
injury, unless al Inflammation should set
in, Which is not very likely.
The wounded man refused to allow the
doctor to extract the hall, reiterating the
statement that he wanted to die, and if he
rot we'll he would make way with himself
in some other way. He will probably be
in his right mind to-day, when the ball
will be taken out.
DeitTiCh'S son says he cannot understand
his fathers peculiar actions, for he knows
Of no trouble having occurred
that would have caused him to
determine to take his life. He says his
father has been known 10 90 off on period.
zeal Sprees for day or SO, and would get
slightly out of his right mind, but he never
knew him to become so crazy before. The
man is thought to be deranged from some
cause, facilitated by drink, and he will be
kept in Jail until he RECEIVERS. He says
that Mr.. n. f.. Whitaker is the only
friend he has in the world.